When I first interviewed Edward Baquero, President of Corigin Real Estate Group, his art curator, Elizabeth Fiore, was furiously texting him images from the Armory Show with potential art for two remaining walls in the stately 20 East End’s octagonal lobby. Baquero is a perfectionist to the nth degree with an obsessive eye for detail, highly skilled research capabilities, a luxurious aesthetic sensibility and a ridiculously funny sense of humor. These two alcove walls were just as important to Baquero as every other detail in his building, no matter how big or small. Nothing in 20 East End was chosen without thorough research and reason followed by multiple iterations of tests and retests.

What Baquero created in 20 East End evokes a time when the Astors, Vanderbilts, and Rockefellers dominated Manhattan and defined luxury. Baquero is bringing back the best of the past and melding it with the present to create a model many will replicate in the future. Ahead, 6sqft talks with him about how he achieved this, his inspirations, and what it was like working with Robert A.M. Stern.

Space in New York City always comes at a premium–even Manhattan air rights cost more per square foot than the nation’s average home prices. Townhomes have long been seen as status symbols in NYC real estate. But despite being coveted properties, traditional townhomes require upkeep and maintenance that condominium owners do not have to deal with. In an effort to attract buyers and eliminate the hassles associated with traditional townhouse living, many NYC developers are building the “townhouse 2.0,” fully modernized new construction townhomes with access to all the services and amenities of a condominium building–the best of both worlds. Ahead, 6sqft has rounded up some of the best examples of townhomes 2.0 in New York City.

Robert A.M. Stern, the architect behind 15 Central Park West, is bringing a new 17-story tower to 20 East End Avenue. The building—said to be less pricey than Stern’s others—will have 43 units starting at $4.5M. Penthouses will go for $20M. [NYT]